Severus Snape and the Prisoner of Azkaban
by Cassandra Houston
Summary: This was found under an old screen name. It's about Year 3 and Severus feelings and memories of Amethyst.
1. Chapter One: Through Halloween

Author's Note: The ideas are mine, of course. Amethyst Rayne Black is mine as well. The rest of the characters belong to the author of the original Harry Potter series. This particular story is taken from Severus' experiences during the third book (POA). I may be able to write more. It helps a great deal if you have read Severus Snape's True Love, if not the entire Liber Severi Series. There are things in those three books that will help those who are not familiar with Amethyst and Severus in my world.   
  
Cassandra Jasmin Houston  
  
  
  
Chapter One: Through Halloween  
  
  
He glared down the staff table at the man he hadn't seen for more years than he cared to count. "This is going to be one hell of a year," he thought numbly to himself.  
  
Severus Snape barely contained the fury what welled within him as he thought about working in the same castle with Remus Lupin. A very large part of him realized that he was being unreasonable, but reason was not something he was going to allow to get in the way of a good fury. Remus Lupin had nothing to do with the events all those years ago. Not directly anyway.  
  
When he attempted to flee to his dungeons when the feast was over Minerva McGonagall, who suggested that he speak to Draco Malfoy about teasing Harry Potter, stopped him. Harry fainted on the train to school and Draco was apparently teasing unmercifully.  
  
"Of course I will speak to him, Minerva." Severus lied smoothly. There was little in this world that would make him talk to Draco Malfoy about giving Harry Potter any break at all. The little Potter brat needed to toughen up, as far as Severus was concerned. Minerva swallowed the lie nicely and Severus continued to his chambers.  
  
Safely inside his dungeons he fixed himself a strong drink and sat thinking of any way he could make this school year bearable.  
  
In addition to the hiring of Remus Lupin as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, which Severus fought tooth and nail against, there was the news of the escape of Sirius Black from Azkaban Fortress. Rumour had it that Sirius Black would come looking for Harry here at Hogwarts. And Severus half hoped that he would. More than half hoped. If Severus could catch Sirius Black ... well, there would be nothing for the Dementors to take back to Azkaban.  
  
He heard the knock at his door and completely ignored it. But when the knock came again, followed by an all too familiar voice saying, "Severus, let me in please." Severus heaved a huge sigh and got up long enough to unlock the door and then returned to his seat by the fire.  
  
Albus Dumbledore took a seat in the huge armchair beside Severus, but said nothing. The two men sat and stared into the fire.  
  
"I know you are upset with me about hiring Remus, Severus." Dumbledore began. "But it is done and now I must come to you asking your help for him."  
  
Severus sighed again, deeply. He knew this was going to happen. Had known it from the moment he'd heard Remus Lupin's name mentioned in conjunction with the empty teaching position. And he knew what his answer would be.  
  
"Of course, Headmaster." he said tightly. His jaw hurt and all he wanted to do was sleep. Sleep and try to forget. He knew he would never forget. "I will begin preparations in the morning."  
  
His sleep that night was as it had been almost every night for years and years. Filled in the beginning with his happiness with her. He loved her more than he loved himself. And then the dream changed. The dream always changed. And this night the dream took on vividness it had lacked now for some years.  
  
He dreamed again about the visit from Sirius Black. How Sirius ranted and raved about Amethyst. The shock of the news was the single thing that saved Sirius Black's life that day. The words came again to his ears as if they'd been spoken just that morning instead of the dozen years that had past.  
  
"You killed my sister, Death Eater, just as sure as if you annihilated her with your own wand." Sirius said, before he disappeared.  
  
As he always did when he had this nightmare, he woke with his hand on his chest, clutching the chain with its rings around his neck, now protected by an invisibility charm.  
  
"Amethyst!" he sobbed.  
  
  
  
He was trying his best to relax in the staff room. He knew there was a Boggart in the closet, but they did not bother him. His worst fear had been realised. There was nothing for the Boggart to use against him. Now he was glad to have its company, as it guaranteed that he would be left alone in the room and able to relax just a little for a change.  
  
When Remus led the group of third years into the room, Severus stood the second he saw them. He had been a bit startled when the door opened, lost in his pleasant memories of Amethyst and their time together.  
  
The words exchanged between he and Remus about Neville helped only to infuriate Severus. Neville was impossible. Absolutely impossible. Just as Amethyst had been. Unlike Amethyst, however, Severus had no desire whatsoever to help Neville. Quite the contrary. Helping Neville would bring back the memories of Dungeon Ten and Amethyst Rayne Black. And Severus did everything in his power to keep those memories at bay. And Remus's faith in Neville somehow only helped to infuriate Severus further.  
  
Word came to him quickly about Neville's greatest fear and how he dealt with the Boggart Snape. Severus was so angry in the beginning that he had to sedate himself with an aequus potion. It took him some time to calm himself down enough so that he did not want to strangle Neville every time he saw him. As to Remus..  
  
Remus came to see him the night after that fateful day in the staff room with the boggart. It was the first time the two men had spoken in anything resembling privacy in quite some time. Severus had already heard about the boggart Snape, but had taken the aequus potion and so did not lunge to tear Remus's throat out when he opened the door and saw who it was.  
  
Remus heaved a sigh and came in quietly. "I thought you would be angry.," he said, closing the door behind him. He looked at a cauldron in the fire and frowned slightly. "Am I interrupting?" he asked.  
  
"I am working on your potion, if you must know." Severus said, lazily. "And I was never angry, Remus. What I was feeling was beyond anger. A homicidal rage, perhaps. But not anger." and he grinned a cold grin at the sudden look of worry on Remus's face. "Don't worry, Remus. I have not poisoned your potion."  
  
Remus chuckled to himself. "Did it show?" he said.  
  
Severus nodded. "You know I would not do that, no matter how angry I got." and he paused. "And you know why." he added, turning his back to Remus and going to the cauldron. He did not see Remus as he looked at the portrait on the wall above the huge fireplace.  
  
"She was breathtaking." Remus breathed. "I had almost forgotten."  
  
Severus bit his cheek. "She was." he said shortly.  
  
Remus was silent a moment, staring up at the portrait of Amethyst. This portrait did not move, because it was not a magical portrait. Severus made sure of that. He could not stand to have Amethyst dead and yet not.  
  
"Almost thirteen years." Remus whispered so softly Severus almost missed it.  
  
Severus simply nodded, unsure if he wanted to have this conversation or not. He had not spoken to anyone about Amethyst in years.  
  
"Amethyst Rayne Black." Remus spoke again. He sounded sad.  
  
"Is there something I can help you with Remus?" Severus asked, ice in his voice. He decided that he would not talk about Amethyst right now. That he could not. Thirteen years was not enough to dull the pain.  
  
"I wanted to make sure that you would not take too much offense at Neville's, um, defense against his boggart." Remus said.  
  
Severus turned and looked at Remus. "Of course not." He lied.  
  
Remus nodded. He turned to go, then suddenly turned back. "How were you in the staff room, Severus? No one else would go for fear of the boggart."  
  
Now Severus grinned a grin that made Remus' blood run cold. "You don't know?" Severus said, coldly.  
  
Remus shook his head, uncertain.  
  
"You see, Remus." Severus said, not moving from the fireplace. "The greatest fear I ever had was that I would lose my love. My Amethyst." He took a very deep breath before he continued. "My greatest fear was realised twelve years ago. There isn't a fear great enough to me now for a Boggart to take notice of."  
  
Remus stared at Severus for some time before he nodded, turned and left the potions master to his potions.  
  
  
  
Halloween. Severus finished the potion, poured it into its goblet and took it to Remus. He hid his surprise when he saw Harry Potter there. He simply delivered his potion and left, saying as little as he could.  
  
Later in the day, he sat at his desk in his dungeon chamber. He was grading the last of the papers turned in on Friday, trying his best to keep his mind from the pain of memory. Between seeing Remus all around school and constantly being reminded that Sirius was still at large he was almost desperate to distract his mind.  
  
He gave the last roll of parchment two out of ten and sat back, stretching his neck to relieve the stiffness it had accumulated over the last three hours he'd spend bent over parchments. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the portrait hanging over his fireplace. He viewed it upside down for a moment before sitting up straight and turning in his chair to look upon it fully.  
  
Memories of Halloweens past flew through his mind. He smiled a smile none of the student's or staff of Hogwarts would have recognized at each memory. He stopped at the last Halloween before she died and savored it. She died almost a year later.  
  
He was rubbing his left forearm absentmindedly when he heard a knock on his chamber door. Still half in his reverie, he said, "Enter."  
  
It was Remus Lupin. He entered and walked to Severus side. He looked upon Amethyst's portrait and then at Severus face with a little more than half a grin of his own.  
  
"What are you staring at, Lupin." Severus said, recovering himself and scowling.  
  
"I am remembering Amethyst." Remus said, quietly. "And you. Remembering how much you two loved each other."  
  
Severus gave him a sharp look.  
  
"I am a werewolf, Severus. My senses are a bit more," he paused, thinking of the right word. "Heightened. I could tell what others could not."  
  
Severus frowned, but said nothing.  
  
"Sirius was devastated when she died, Severus." Remus continued. "He lashed out is all."  
  
Severus found his voice. "Do not defend him to me, Remus." He hissed. "And do not come to me looking for an ally."  
  
Remus sighed. "It was an accident, Severus." He said, almost pleading. "When will you realise that?"  
  
Severus started slightly. "That was no accident." He hissed. "You know it. I know it." He tossed his chin at the portrait. "And she knew it."  
  
"You are looking for him, aren't you?" Remus said, quietly.  
  
"No." Severus said, honestly enough. "But if he is found by me there will be nothing for the dementors to take back to Azkaban."  
  
Remus stared at Severus for a very long time. "You would regret it." He ventured.  
  
Severus grinned a cold grin. "I would not regret it." He almost whispered. "Not for one second." He looked closely at Remus. "Now." he said, considering the past discussion closed. "You have discussed with Potter my suggestion?"  
  
Remus nodded. "I have not. Yet." he said. "But I will and we will probably begin his anti-dementor lessons after Christmas break." He looked at Severus closely. "You are a strange man, Severus Snape." he said. "You hate Harry Potter, and yet you want me to teach him to defend himself against dementors."  
  
Severus did not move. "I owe it to James. That brat of his is bound to get hurt by them, sooner or later. I would guess that they will come to the game. And we can't have him falling off of his broom, can we?" He said.  
  
Remus looked pensive. "Of course not." he said. He looked at the portrait of Amethyst. "Severus." he said suddenly. "What do you hear when the dementors come near?"  
  
For a moment he thought Severus would not answer. When he did, Remus felt as if a bucket of cold water were thrown on him.  
  
"I hear Sirius Black." He said. "I hear him blaming me for the death of his sister." He was quiet a moment. "The only human being who ever meant anything to me."  
  
Remus remained silent.  
  
"I have gone over and over in my mind." Severus said, very softly and sadly. "How did they find out about her? I certainly never told them she was my lover. Of course they would have known that Amethyst was Sirius's sister, but how did they find out about she and I? And he turned to face Remus. "I knew, of course. You knew. James knew. Peter knew." He paused. "And Sirius knew."  
  
Remus gasped at the implications of that last statement. "You can't mean?" He breathed. "You can't believe that, Severus. Not even you can believe that!"  
  
Severus stood ramrod straight. "Oh, I do believe it, Remus." he hissed. "He was desperate to keep us apart. Desperate. He would have done anything to keep us apart."  
  
"Not that!" Remus almost shouted.  
  
"Yes that!" Severus said, just as loudly. "And he would have enjoyed watching me all these years. Watching my pain. I have not gotten over her death, Remus. I will never get over her death." He stopped suddenly, refusing to allow the memory to surface. "Yes Remus." he said, grinning sadly. "I believe that Sirius Black told the Death Eaters that his sister was my lover, hoping that they would use her to hurt me somehow. And they did, didn't they. All I have of her are this portrait, another beside my bed and my memories or her."  
  
Remus began to back away a little, appalled.  
  
"And Remus." Severus said, before Remus could escape. "I will kill Sirius Black as many times as I can if I find him before anyone else does. As many times as I can."  
  
Remus fled before he could hear anymore. Severus watched the chamber door close. No one saw the homicidal glint in his eyes.  
  
  
  
After being summarily dismissed by Dumbledore after searching the castle, Severus stalked back to his chambers. He was too keyed up to sleep. He was furious that Sirius had not been found. He would have loved to be the one to find him. His want hand itched to curse Sirius Black into non-existence.  
  
Severus lay on his bed and looked at the smaller picture of Amethyst on his bedside table. He seemed to feel the pain of her passing more this year than any other.   
  
He did not sleep that night. 


	2. Chapter Two: The End of the Third Year

Author's Note: The ideas are mine, of course. Amethyst Rayne Black is mine as well. The rest of the characters belong to the author of the original Harry Potter series. This particular story is taken from Severus' experiences during the third book (POA). I may be able to write more. It helps a great deal if you have read Severus Snape's True Love, if not the entire Liber Severi Series. There are things in those three books that will help those who are not familiar with Amethyst and Severus in my world.   
  
Cassandra Jasmin Houston  
  
  
Chapter 2 The End of the Third Year  
  
While Lupin was 'ill', Severus took the opportunity to give a hint to the third year class about Lupin's 'illness'. He barely hoped that someone would figure it out. Probably Hermione Granger. And she was such an insufferable know-it-all that he had little doubt that as soon as she did figure it out, she would tell her little friends and they would spread the news all over the school. Then he would be rid of Remus and perhaps a little more peace would come to this exceptionally miserable year. But just in case, he gave Ron a detention in the hospital wing, hoping the daft redhead would wonder where Remus could be if he was ill but not in the hospital wing.  
  
  
  
Severus watched Harry's fall with only the slightest of anxiety. He was white as a sheet himself listening to Sirius screaming at him. Dumbledore saved the boy and Severus was torn between relief and anger. Harry was all right, but that only meant that Severus was still obligated to protect the boy. And of course, the fate of Harry's Nimbus could do little but help Severus's house to victory.  
  
Christmas came complete with an angering and embarrassing reminder of Neville Longbottom and his grandmothers' hat. He managed to overhear the conversation between Minerva and Hermione about Harry's Christmas present and was grateful for the lessons Remus would give Harry after the New Year began.  
  
Remus kept him abreast of the anti-dementor lessons. Even Severus had to give Harry credit for his obvious magical power. Remus shared with Severus that he suspected that part of the problem was that Harry wanted to hear the voices of his parents, which kept him from reaching his full potential.  
  
Severus thought about this a moment and nodded. They were sitting in Remus's office. Severus was standing and looking out of the window. He turned when he heard what Remus murmured next.  
  
"I cannot imagine why he would want to hear his parents being murdered."  
  
Severus turned around to face Remus. "Oh, I think I may. He never heard their voices before. Any memory for him, even a dying parental voice might be better than none at all."  
  
"I suppose you may have a point." Remus conceded. "But if you'd been there when Amethyst was mur,"  
  
Severus cut him off. "I wasn't." he said shortly. "Or she wouldn't have been. And in any event, I have so many good memories of Amethyst. It is that bastard of a brother of hers I hear when the dementors get near me."  
  
"And your Patronus?" Remus asked, curiously.  
  
Severus chuckled. "Are you asking me about my happiest memory, Remus?"  
  
Remus looked at him and raised his eyebrows.  
  
Severus thought a moment. "Alright then. You are doing me a favor teaching Harry the Patronus Charm. I'll give you this."  
  
Severus walked over to the desk and sat behind it. Remus sat in a chair in front of the desk. Severus looked down at the desk for a moment. When he looked up, Remus was taken aback by the joy in the potions masters face.  
  
"There are several." Severus began. "But the one I use when I am fighting a dementor is the memory of the day I asked Amethyst to marry me and she accepted." His face clouded over a little. "That was about six weeks before she died."  
  
Remus found himself sighing. He grappled with his own memories a moment before he nodded. "Thank you, Severus." He said simply.  
  
"We are even, Lupin." Severus said, rising and leaving the office.  
  
He remained stony faced until he got back to his chambers. As soon as the door closed, he grasped the invisible rings in his hand. He could feel the cold metal in his hand and a familiar cold touching his heart.  
  
  
  
Severus seriously considered killing Draco Malfoy and his cronies for the stunt they pulled at the match between Griffindor and Ravenclaw. He was actually concerned with his apparent loss of control over his temper that he seemed to be having this year. The stress of the circumstances was having on him.  
  
The excitement of the attack on Ron Weasley did nothing to relieve his stress. It meant that he got no sleep and once again his thoughts were zeroed in on Sirius Black.  
  
When Draco came to him, covered in mud and whining like a baby, Severus took off for the third floor as quickly as he could. He knew that Harry had found a way out of the castle and he found that he was absolutely furious with the boy. Of course, Harry had no idea of the debt Severus owed James, and there was nothing that would make Severus tell him.  
  
But Severus could not resist bating Harry about his father. Severus may have been indebted to James Potter, but that did nothing to improve his opinion of the boy's father. And so he informed him of the attempt on his life made on him by Sirius and James. He had never truely believed that James was not at least as responsible as Sirius for that incident with the Whomping Willow. That James had saved him did not improve Severus opinion of him, nor did the favor that he did for Amethyst, further deepening the debt owed by Severus.  
  
Severus recognised the parchment. Amethyst told him about it while they were all still in school. He did not know how to use it and it's refusal to obey his commands only served to make Severus more angry than he had been. The maps creators still held he same opinion of Severus and the words Severus read brought the memories of his school days crashing down on him. And so he called up Remus. His frustration was trebled. He opted to keep his knowledge of the map to himself, for now. Not even Remus knew that he knew about the Maureders Map. Only Amethyst knew that Severus knew and, of course, she would never tell. And, knowledge kept to himself, he only grew angrier that Remus would insult his intelligence in defense of Harry Potter.  
  
Severus slammed his fist on the desk when Remus took Harry and Ron from his office. Protecting Harry Potter was never an easy task. He found himself, not for the first time, half hoping that Harry would get himself killed. Sirius Black killing him would be a sort of poetic justice as far as Severus was concerned. Severus would get over the little guilt he might feel at failing to protect his charge. Protecting Harry Potter was a full time job. He was undoubtedly his father's son.  
  
  
  
Severus inwardly sighed when his house team was beaten by the Griffindors. The most intelligent from the Slytherin house were not on the quiddich team. As a matter of fact, it seemed that it was true that it was the house relied on size rather than skill. But they were at their creative best in cheating and for that Severus was proud.  
  
Exams were almost like a beautiful dream for Severus. The stress he was feeling was nothing to the stress he could feel emminating from his students. He enjoyed every minute. When June the sixth dawned, Severus woke, almost depressed. Being the last day of the exams, it would be the last day that his students would be more anxious than he was.  
  
When the time came, Severus prepared the wolfsbane potion for Remus and took it to him. That is when he realised that Remus was not there and the map was lying on the desk, showing all of it's secrets.  
  
He put on the cloak at the whomping willow and followed the passageway into the shrieking shack. He crept up the stairs and slipped into the room, where he listened quietly under the protection of James' invisibility cloak and his own silence. The more he listened, the more upset he became.  
  
He almost chuckled when Sirius seemed so surprised about Severus working at Hogwarts. Amethyst was good at her memory charms. And in listening to the story of his mishaps with the Whomping Willow, although a bit inaccurate, he became infuriated. When he finally revealed himself, he was infuriated.  
  
He found himself ranting a bit, but very carefully avoided mentioning Amethyst. He was suddenly overwhelmed in the memories of their time in school, when they did all they could to hide their relationship. He also decided suddenly that he would not kill Sirius, although he was almost shaking with the temptation. What was left of his rational mind knew that Amethyst would probably want her brother to suffer, not die. At the very least he would not kill Sirius with his own wand, he would let the dementors take care of him.  
  
And suddenly he was flying through the air and felt the sharp pain when his head hit the wall.  
  
  
  
When Severus regained consciousness, he took a quick look around and quickly found Harry, Hermione and Sirius. Severus conjured stretchers, bound Sirius and took them all to the hospital wing.  
  
Severus could not care less about the Order of Merlin. He was looking forward to the dementors' kiss being performed on Sirius Black. That alone was worth more than six first class orders of Merlin to him. He was as polite as he could stand to be with Cornelius Fudge. He even tried to get Fudge to reign in Harry, but knew immediately that he had failed.  
  
When he and Fudge entered the hospital wing, Snape did not have to work very hard to convince Fudge that the children were under some spell or other. However when Dumbledore arrived, Severus could tell with one glance that there may be trouble. Snape found himself insulted and showed it. He was also incredibly frustrated that Sirius might simply be sent back to Azkaban. Even his reminding Dumbledore about Sirius' attack on him while they were in school seemed to fall on mute ears. He left the room in barely controlled fury.  
  
And when he found Sirius gone, he almost lost control. Escaped? Surely no one could believe that? Severus could not see through his fury. His revenge ripped from him. His chance to heal, ripped from him.  
  
Telling his charges that Remus was a werewolf was only slightly satisfying to Severus. It would mean that Remus would leave Hogwarts and take with him the sword in Severus's side.  
  
Home from school for the summer, Severus found he could definately wait for next year. He could only hope it would be less painful than this year had been. 


End file.
